Fr. Herbers is the founder of
the school which was originally called Divine Word Academy of
Urdaneta. As a lasting show of gratitude for his dedication to the
school and to its alumni, we are planning to establish the
scholarship fund that would carry his name. Some of us, the
alumni, have been brainstorming about this regard. Please feel
free to express your thoughts about this project. Please email
Johnny Soriano at johnny0825sori@yahoo.com.
If you are interested to join or participate in this noble endeavor,
please do so.

The following are excerpts of
ideas being tossed around. Please read on:

"I
suggest we start with a low budget (on the first year) until we are
able to generate more funds as we go along.Set
financial goals.Perhaps
Pidiong Angeles, the Banker, can help us out with regards to the
banking requirements. Say, if we put in a Million Pesos in the
bank, how many scholars will the interest alone be able to fund
the Scholarship Budget?Keep
me posted. Thanks.".......................CONRAD
DEL CASTILLO, FORMER STAFF MEMBER

"Johnny, the
last time I visited our school I felt so embarrassed about its overall
look and surroundings. It's
all old and rusty specially the hand rail. For
me, this would be a good project
to bring out the best look of our school. It
needs an overall re-painting! Just pitching
in something for our thought.".............................BONIFACIO
ESTRADA, '78

"Johnny,
the Scholarship Fund is such a very good and noble idea. In
fact, I am also toying with this kind of Project at my wife's barangay
(quite a lot of kids in the barangay stop going to school after they
graduate from elementary because of financial problems. They end
up going to the farm to help their parents till the soil which they
don't really own. I pity these kids especially those who are
smart and have good prospects in the future). Just to get your
project going, I am willing to give an ante of $50.00. C'mon set
up the Fund because it is much easier to think of a Project with an
initial funding on hand."................CONRAD
DEL CASTILLO, FORMER STAFF MEMBER

"Ciao,
Manong! We're back in Milan almost a month ago and I'm glad to
hear from you again. I will print Fr. Herbers' picture and show
it to my relatives and friends who were Divinians. I will
mention to them about the project and ask for their voluntary monetary
contributions. If the alumni association approves this project,
let me know okay. I think, it is more convenient for us to send
the money to the Philippines. Please provide me the name and
address of the contact person to whom we'll be sending the fund.
I will provide you the names of the contributors and the amount of
their contribution. Please update us here in Milan!"................LOURDES
ELIZAGA-DALIT, '80

"Johnny,
thanks for all the update. You may not hear from me often but
I'm always following up on every issues you're posting. Whatever
you'll come up with please count me in.".................ARNULFO
DOCTOR, '72

I'd like to make some
comments on your very splendid project, which is to put up a library
in honor of Fr. Herbers. The library is a good proposal but I want to
know what to do with the present library which is located at the old
chapel(3rd floor). It's a big space I think, bigger than
the old library in 2nd floor. The old library is now the
computer room. At present they have more or less 40 computers, some
aren't working (this goes to Citas' supposedly project?). I wonder
what happened to it. Anyway, what I was thinking about the project is
the location - with students passing by in the ground floor every now
& then, don't you think it will be rather noisy? Unless
it's an air conditioned library, but think of the electric bills!May I suggest that we donate new books. The library consists of
old & quite obsolete books.They
use catalogues in looking for titles of books & authors instead of
using the high tech way - by using the computer.Maybe, we can also provide computers for their school research
so the students can be motivated to use the library. Or, maybe
renovations of the library, new chairs & tables, perhaps? I like
the suggestion about the scholarship program. I'll try to get a copy
from the school of their payment scheme so you can make a study on the
project. ............................SHARI
MAMALIO-NERZA, '73

The scholarship fund
for me is a good idea. You can have my support. ..........BERNARDITA
MANZANO-SACLOLO, '73

"Yes,
that's Ms. Gilda Doot and her husband with Fr. Herbers. It
was taken last year when they visited him at Christ the King
Seminary in Quezon City. From what Ms. Doot said, he's
frail and has become weak and sickly.......and might not
live much longer (knock on woods). I agree, since you're
having your reunion this coming December, your class should
vote to give him a "special award" as a token for his
dedicated service to the school and it's entire alumni.
Though I don't think he could attend your reunion as a guest, I guess
this one "simple thing" might mean a lot to him now
that he's still alive. What I have in mind is a construction of
a library (in the school grounds, of course) in honor of Fr. Herbers
but am not sure if some, if not all, of the alumni are willing to
donate or contribute for its construction. In fact, Charito (San
Juan) and myself previously talked about something like this but I
mentioned to her the same problem......the donations and/or
contributions." ..........JOHNNY
S. SORIANO, '72

"I am open to Evelyn's idea but you're right, Fr Herbers
may not be able to attend. I talked to him when I went to mass
at the school chapel last year. He just smiled at me when I told
him who I was, but I think he does not remember me. Salamat Aro
for copying me in your correspondences regarding the noble idea of a
library structure to be built in honor of Fr. Herbers. You can
count on my support for this project. Raffy's suggestion on fund
raising and tax incentive is very sound. I hope this will get
going. Let's do what we can." .............ELPIDIO
ANGELES, '73

"Manong Johnny, I think this is a great idea but this can take at
least 2-5 years to accomplish it. Maybe we can start by forming
a group of us to make our plan in writing. We can elect a
committee to be involved with the planning, fund raising, etc.
This could be a good platform for our next DWCUAA reunion here in US.
We have to know first the size of the library, so we can set a goal
for the funding. I will certainly be interested.... The
library will be a great monument to show our appreciation for our
school and it will greatly benefit the whole community for
centuries... Do you know any alumni who can do the
design/architecture? I think we have the resources to get this
done. Anong say mo?" .........EVELYN
BASCOS-GONZALEZ, '73

"You all have great ideas. Pool all these great ideas
together and just like what Manong Johnny said, calendar it for Agenda
at the next Alumni meeting on the 30th. Let's involve the
officers on this project. Let it be a true embodiment of an
Alumni Project. If I may put my two cents worth. A library
in honor of Rev. Herbers is one of the best, if not the best,
recognition we can bestow upon him. Let me caution you though,
that this is a gargantuan project of logistical proportion. Are
you just talking financing construction of the structure itself or
does it also include the books that goes in it? If I sense it
right the whole rationale behind these great ideas is to immortalize
him - to perpetrate his memory. Another good idea is to
create/establish a Fr. Herbers Scholarship chair where poor but
deserving bright student(s) are awarded an "X" amount of
year(s) scholarship in DWCU. The parameters for selection,
continuous endowment, etc. would be set by a committee chosen by the
officers of the Alumni. A local oversight committee composed of
select Faculty members and/or local (as in PI) Alumni representatives
would have direct control of the program. We probably could have
a lot more of great ideas out there. Bottom line is: put
this in the Agenda for discussion and debate the merits or demerits of
each one and then chose the best one. Don't be dragged into the
pitfall of a few deciding a final Project and then ram it through the
throats of every official who were not involved in the process.
A plaque of Recognition or a semblance of it would just adorn the four
corners of the honoree's abode. If you all can lay the
foundation for the establishment of a lasting project in honor of his
memory and then have an austere memorable ceremony where presentation
of the Project in writing approved by all the officers, would be a
fitting climax to his fading career. If he is still around with
the project's completion/full implementation, he could be invited
again as the principal guest at the inaugural ceremony. More
power to what you are all doing. Involve the officers and
whatever the end result is, involve everybody. You're all great
alumni driven by noble goals!!" ..............YOGI
DIAZ, '74

"Can I share what I have in mind? The HERBERS LIBRARY is a
very good idea. As a matter of fact, it is long overdue.
It would be really great if this would come into fruition while Fr.
Herbers is still with us. Do we have CPA's in our group or
anyone who knows one who practices here in the States or in the
Philippines for that matter? Willy Palad comes into my mind.
The reason is because: 1. If we can form a nonprofit
foundation we can solicit donations from various people and
corporations for fundraising. Now, the question is will the IRS
recognize the project as legit? 2. If found legit,
donations are tax deductible. For people like me who itemize,
this will be a great help. As Johnny said, a former classmate of
ours, Romeo Ortiz can draw us a plan and give us an estimate and then
we can go from there. As for giving Fr. Herbers a Special Award,
give it to him regardless he is attending or not. Make sure you
have it in your program and let him know what is going on. At least
he knows that we still care about him after all these years. If
he fails to attend, give it to him at a later date. That will
lift up his spirits." ..............RUFO
BRUAN III, '72

"Lakay, I agree completely with the Scholarship Fund, less
headache but more productive. May be we can build a Fr. Herbers
"bust" in front of the school. Is it appropriate to
build it if he is still alive?" ....................ARSENIO
V. CONSOLACION, '70

"Dear Everyone, I read all the notes with much enthusiasm to try
and see where everyone's thoughts are. I believe most of us want
to do something noble for DWCU but realize that it would be a gigantic
task to complete. I agree, it takes much more than asking
everybody to pay the $10.00 membership fee. It can be done
though, and this is probably the most important thing to realize if
only for now - it can be done. I'm sure, like myself, people are
cringing at the thought of shelling out MONEY but let's face it - we
do need to do something. The scholarship fund, for now, sounds
like something we could start with. Hell, it might push everyone
in the school to do well. I love libraries - I dream of winning
the lotto and putting up a library that could be the envy of everyone
- this is of course only a dream but why can't we dream alike? I
must warn the California alumni - you may be doing much of the work
(like always). But if you are willing, let the work begin.
I know nothing about IRS except that they have most of the fruits of
my labor. It would help to get a tax rebate - this, however,
should not deter us from doing what we want to do for the
school." .............CHARITO
CABANILLA-LOVE, '74

"Johhny, I will go for what ever project our alumni association
will go for. In fact things like these were discussed in passing
by me, Rhodetto, and Manolo Castro the last time we had a reunion at
San Diego. I understand some are suggesting a library to be
built. That is a great idea but we have to consider how much
lead time we have from planning, financing and completion of the
project. I will not oppose such a project, I like it.
However, think of who will be the lead people to start and finish such
a huge undertaking. I can pledge some moderate amount of money
for this but there are some more ways to get some funds like
sponsoring golf and bowling tournament. Selling 50/50 tickets if
you have some alumni activities there locally. This entails a
medium or long term plan. The other suggestion is the
scholarship fund. That is, I think is more attainable in a short
term. In fact, it can be done immediately. Just determine
who the recipients are and how many they are . Please get back
to me after your meeting at the end of this month. I would love
to participate in whatever capacity I am capable of."
.................REYNALDO
CALIVO, '71

"Whatever the organization decided to venture on, I will be
supportive as long as it is attainable. For an advise, let us
start with a smaller project." ............JOSE
BALTAZAR SIBAL, '72